The visual element of European yacht design has always seemed sleeker and edgier, and this year’s Cannes boat Show was no exception.

18th September 2013.By James Nolan

Multihull for sailors
A number of multihulls are making their debut at the Cannes Boat Show, and all of them are promoting comfort, performance and lifestyle. A good example for sailors is the Leopard 48, the latest model in the Leopard range built in South Africa by Robertson and Caine.

The Leopard 48 was one of several boats in Cannes promoting comfort, performance, and lifestyle.

The Leopard 48 features a large forward cockpit with direct access from the saloon. This, together with the large and open aft cockpit, provides a large amount of light and open space ideal for entertaining and conversation. The raised helm station, which is easily accessible from the cockpit and side deck, allows conversations with friends and family in the aft cockpit to continue, while providing excellent visibility. The helmsman is protected from the elements by the hardtop, and all sail handling and engine controls are within an arm’s length. An added bonus is the comfortable seating for three people at the helm.

The Leopard 48 comes with options of a three or four cabin layout. Both feature Austrian walnut laminate flooring and cherry finishes, and all heads are ensuite with separate stall showers. In the three cabin layout, the starboard hull is entirely dedicated to the owner’s suite. The walkaround center line queen sized bed allows for easy side access. With a comfortable couch, or optional storage unit, there is plenty of storage space in the passageway. The large master head features a stall shower with bench and a dedicated locker for a washer / dryer.

Multihull for power boaters
The FlashCat 47 is well worth a look. Built in Valencia, Spain, the FlashCat 47 features a large and totally flat stern platform, providing same-level access through the cockpit into the light and airy saloon.

Buyers can fully customize a boat to their preferred lifestyle onboard. Custom packages include the Diving Pack with its hydraulic platform, compressor and special storage for tanks and suits, underwater lights, jet tender, personal GPS/radio for every diver, and so on. Other packages include a Fishing Pack, Media Pack, and Green Pack (hybrid/electric engine, solar panels, water maker, waste water tank and “green fiber” for the boat construction). Additional engine options include Cummings, Yanmar and Volvo IPS. Standard 220hp engines give the boat a maximum speed of 20 knots; the maximum engine option (485hp) provides a top speed of 27 knots.

Meanwhile, two sailboats debuting in Cannes have taken contemporary exterior and interior design to new levels.

Aureus XV looks fast and easy to handle.

Aureus XV
Built in France and made entirely of carbon and epoxy, this 50 footer looks fast, highly automated, and easy for one person to handle. The deck is designed for total freedom of movement with no protrusions. The winches, sail furling, and reefing systems are all electrically controlled from either of the two helm stations, as are the hydraulic controls for downhauls and backstay. Even the reefing can be done from the helm!

The clean, sleek interior while, eminently practical, is designed with a modern urban approach with minimal clutter. The model on display featured a business desk, complete with satellite communication and installed printer. One of the aft cabins, present in most production boats, has been replaced by a Technical Cabin which houses the air conditioning unit, electrical and hydraulic control panels, generator and dishwasher. It also provides one point of access to the Volvo Penta 75 CV-D2 engine.

The technical cabin houses all of the systems and provides access to the engine.

Mylius 18E35
This Italian-built beauty has pushed the compromise between comfort and speed as far as it can. Hull, deck, stiffeners and bulkheads are made entirely of carbon, providing medium-light displacement. The semi-custom 18.35m/60ft cruiser/racer meets the minimum length required to race in the Mini-Maxi circuit and is designed with the effectiveness of a full crew in mind, while ensuring the best functionality when cruising. This is demonstrated by the very large cockpit, with its two steering positions and well-defined areas for maneuvering and relaxing.

The Mylius 18E35 has a very large cockpit with well-defined areas for maneuvering and relaxing.

The interior is loft-styled and ultra-modern, while being comfortable and inviting. While the exterior on this latest launch is jet-black, the interior is white to stunning effect. As you might imagine the interior is completely customizable, according to the tastes and needs of the owner. For example, the owner’s cabin can feature a double bed or two single beds with the head in the bow, or a central double with the head more aft.

The ultra-modern interior is comfortable and inviting.

The visual element of European yacht design has always seemed sleeker and edgier, and these boats are but a few of the examples in Cannes. We’ll have full reviews and videos coming soon, so stay tuned.

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James Nolan

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James Nolan is a former General Manager of YachtWorld.com and Boats.com. He has managed a number of well known companies including Autohelm, Barlow and Navtec. He has his own PR/marketing agency and writes a monthly column for Boating Business in the U.K.